Trimming attachment for sewing-machines



(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- G. M. MOB-ms.

TRIMMING ATTACHMENT POR'SEWING MA'GHINESL No. 276,860.

Patented May 1, 1883.

Witness c: Q Invento r:

(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2;

G. M. MORRIS; T'RIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 276,860.Patented May 1,1883.

= Fig.8.

Wifnesses: 1 5

' .UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn GEORGE M. MORRIS, OF GOHOES, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO WILLIAM I. BLEAKLEY, OF LANSINGBURG, NEW YORK.

TRIMMING ATTACHMENT l-"OR SEWING -MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,860,...dated May 1,1883. Application filed November 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MARION Moa- RIS, of the city of Oohoes,county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Attachments to Sewing-Machines for Trimming Fabrics, of

which the following is a specification.

' My in ventioh relates to that class of devices adapted to be attachedto sewin g-machines for trimming the edges of fabric that is beingsewed. The older methods generally in use for accomplishing this resultconsisted of a movable sheanblade edge that opened and closedintermittently along the cutting-edge of a plate; but this manner oftrimming, and as well that done by two cutting shear-edges acting fromthe same pivotal center of motion, is objectionable when used inconnection with a sewing-machine, from the fact that as the shear-edgesclose to cut or trim they exert a tendency also to force the materialahead of and from the outwardly-moving cutting-point of theclosing bladeor blades. This latter difficulty occurs more particularly where theseolder methods are used to trim the edges of loosely-knit fabricand'elastic goods.

I am well aware that the lapping end faces of two rollers actuatedfromseparate centers with continuous rotation have been used to cut ragsand'carpets; but asa continuous rotation and the shear engagement of twoconvex cutting-edges so actuated have a constant tendency to draw in thefabric such a method of cutting could not be adapted to trim the fabricbeing sewed in a sewing-machine, as it would seriously interfere withthe feed-motion and the relation the formation of stitches by the needlehas to do with the latter.

To adapt two cutters that are operated from two centers of motion totrim the fabric being fed into a sewing-machine is the object of myinvention, and this I accomplish by constructing and arranging, as willhereinafter be described, two disk-cutters that are upon separate shaftshaving a geared connection, and with the disk-cutters upon their lappingshearcdges constructed to have areci procatin g shear. motion, by whichthey open to receive and close to cut the fabric being fed into thesewing means of the gears G G machine. The two combined convex cutting-0 edges of the older device being dispensed with, and although onereciprocatingly-rotated edge with a convex face may be used to make itoperative, it must be combined with a definite cutting-edge or a concavecutting-edge cut 5 from the perimeter of the opposite disk, as shown inthe annexed drawings.

I am alsowell aware that a disk having interchangeable cutting-faces hasbeen combined with a fixed shear engaging blade-edge, said disk having apivotal center for attachment and motion, and that my invention, so faras relates to a cutting-disk having interchangeable cutting-faces, islimited to the manner in which I employ it.

Accompanying this specification, and forming a part of it, are twoplates of drawings containing eight figures illustrating my invention,and in all of which the same designation of parts by letter-reference isused.

Figure 1 shows in perspective my device removed from its connection witha sewing-machine; and Fig. 2 a vertical section of it, taken on the lineas m of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7illustrate the manner of formingthe cutting edges upon the perimeters of the disks; and Fig. 8illustrates the position of the device when attached to asewing-machine.

The parts of the device are designated by letter-reference, and theirfunction described, as follows:

Theletters Aand A indicate two disks, upon the perimeters of, which, at0 0 are formed cutting-faces or blade-edges. These disks are arranged onthe ends of the shafts S S which have their bearings at B B in thesupport L, and are connected for simultaneous motion by The sidesurfaces of the cutters A and A on their cutting-edges are in lappingcontact, as indicated at a a. 0

The letter D indicates an arm or crank attached to one of the shafts,and which is constructed to be reciprocated in the direction shown bythe dotted line 01, so as to reciprocatingly rotate the two shaftssimultaneously 5 by means of their geared connection, and thus operatethe cutters.

V The letter T designates a set-screw that works in the plate B andagainst the end of the shaft S to keep the lapping edges of the cuttersin shear contact.

The letter M indicates a sewing-machine needle-arm; P, asewing-machine-table plate; N, the needle-bar; and N theneedle; H, thesewing-machine shaft; W, a cam-wheel on the latter, having a camgroovein its side face to engage with a pin upon the end of the arm D toreciprocate the latter and the rotation of the shafts and cutters.

At Fig. 8 the trimming attachment is shown as applied to asewing-machine with the cutters at right angles to the table-plate, andarranged so as to cut or trim in the direction of the feed.

The perimeters of both the disks, where formed with cutting shear-edges,may be made to curve inwardly, as shown at Fig. 5 5 or both of them maybe made straight, as shown at Fig. 3, or with one straight cutting-edgeand one inwardly-curved cutting-edge, as indicated at Fig. 4, or withone of the disk cutting edges circular and the other constructed with astraight cutting-edge on its perimeter, as indicated at Fig. 6, or withone of the disk cutting-edges in circular form and that of the other ascurved inwardly on the perimeter, as shown at Fig. 7. As thesedisk-edges are thus constructed they cut in the same manner and by theoperation of the same factors, and either may he used.

If desired, the gears G and G2 may be of different diameters, so as tocause one of the attached shafts and actuated cutters to move morerapidly than the other, and without materially changing the operation ofthe factors employed. a

The letters T T designate two set-screws, one of which is used to attachone of the cuttets to each of theshafts, and adapted to secure the disksat interchangeable places, so that when portions of the cutting-edgesbecome dull from use they may be moved around and others brought intoposition. While I have 5 shown the disks as constructed withinterchangeable cutting-edges, as but one cuttingedge upon each is usedduring the operation, the production of a series of them is not anindispensable part of my invention. If desired, the cutting-edges may beformed upon the radiately-cut part of a disk, as indicated by dottedlines at m m m m, and used without the rest of the disk.

To operate the cutters it is essential that they shall be actuated toreciprocatingly rotate from two separate centers of motion, and, asshown herein, this is accomplished by actuating the arm D to reciprocatein the line of motion indicated by the dotted line d. To

' move the latter any of the well-known means for thus reciprocating itmay be used, that which I have illustrated being a cam-groovc in theside face of the wheel W on the sewingmachine shaft, and apiu on the endof arm D, 6 adapted to move in said cam-groove.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

In a trimming attachment for a sewing-ma- 7o chine, lapping-disks A Awith definitelyformed cutting-edges in la pping-shear engagement, ashaft for each disk, gears connecting the shafts, one of said shaftsbeing provided with a crank and an offset crank-pin, in combination witha grooved wheel suitably arranged upon a sewing-machine shaft to operatethe connected parts in the manner specitied.

Signed at Troy, NewYork, this 9th day of November, 1882.

GEORGE MARION-MORRIS.

Witnesses:

HORACE L. HICKS,

HARLES S. BRINTNALL.

